


hot ashes for trees, hot air for a cool breeze

by okamiwind



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Established Relationship, Guns, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:20:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23740699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/okamiwind/pseuds/okamiwind
Summary: there are a great many ways to get the group to act as one. hurting junmyeon... that's chief among them.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Kim Junmyeon | Suho/Oh Sehun
Comments: 20
Kudos: 121





	hot ashes for trees, hot air for a cool breeze

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zvirk77](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zvirk77/gifts).



It happens the way a bolt of lightning strikes the earth, scorching everything around it, sending spidering waves through whatever it hits. It splits trees cleanly in half. It makes flesh burn. 

That’s what Baekhyun feels the moment the bullet enters Junmyeon’s body. 

A strike of lightning across the bruised sky, and then as Junmyeon’s body falls into his arms, absolute, deathly silence.  
  


☠

Junmyeon established the agency when he was twenty-five, tired of taking the jobs that their prior company deemed them worthy of. They branched off, the nine of them. Junmyeon had given them names, names that became legend. Names that were only whispered. They moved like shadows, like silence itself. They got rich, they got powerful, and sooner rather than later, Baekhyun knew it would come for them.

He is panicking as he calls for Sehun, fingers fumbling on his phone as he tries to remember what Junmyeon always said, the words he always told Baekhyun. _Cool heads will prevail. Don’t panic. Never panic._

He holds Junmyeon’s body in his arms, Junmyeon’s eyes fluttering as he tries to keep consciousness. Baekhyun pulls open Junmyeon’s jacket as he waits for Sehun to answer. In his line of work, he sees blood daily. This blood, _Junmyeon’s_ blood… it is redder and sweeter, and no drop should be spilled. Here and now, it blooms over black fabric. Baekhyun blinks away tears. 

“Go,” Sehun says suddenly, and Baekhyun has been with him long enough, knows that he is concerned even with that single syllable. 

“He’s been hit,” Baekhyun says, desperately attempting to keep his voice even. “ _Backup._ Backup.” 

He hangs up the line, throwing his phone to the side as he pulls Junmyeon’s shirt open. Why didn’t he wear the vest? He’s always so careful. He’s always so insistent on safety. Why tonight? Why? 

Baekhyun puts his hand over the wound on Junmyeon’s abdomen. It’s off center, but only by a touch. If it had hit his spine… Baekhyun doesn’t want to think about it. The blood is coming quickly, weak pumps as Junmyeon lies there, bleeding. It’s high on his right side… Baekhyun covers the bleeding with his hand. Junmyeon moans softly, eyes searching Baekhyun’s. 

“It’s gonna be okay,” Baekhyun assures him. “It’s not that bad.” 

“It is,” Junmyeon whispers. “It is bad.” 

“Sehun’s coming,” Baekhyun says, and he smiles when Junmyeon smiles. “We’re gonna get you to Yixing. He’s gonna help.” 

Junmyeon closes his eyes. “If I go—”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Baekhyun promises, and he sees the lights of Sehun’s car. “There he is. He’s coming to get us.” 

“Okay,” Junmyeon says softly. “Okay.” 

Frustrated, angry, vengeful tears fall down his face as they move Junmyeon to the car, as they race across the breathing city. Baekhyun holds Junmyeon in the backseat, blood on the leather. Sehun keeps his eyes on the road, doesn’t say a word, but he is trembling. His whole body quivering. 

Lightning across the sky. 

Lightning striking the tree. 

The spidering heat. 

The flesh, bubbling and boiling.  
  


☠

They’ve got a good facility. They have plenty of people to assist Yixing as he scans him, as he checks him out. Within fifteen minutes, operation has begun, and Baekhyun and Sehun are the only two in the theater, hands clasped together. He doesn’t know where the rest of them are, maybe… maybe giving the three of them space. Baekhyun appreciates the silent concern.

“What do you think he’s doing?” Baekhyun asks, watching Yixing’s hands working in Junmyeon’s open body. 

“I dunno,” Sehun says. “Something complicated.” 

“I can’t believe he’s a legit surgeon,” Baekhyun says. “Why the fuck is he working with us?” 

“He likes us. And Junmyeon pays him a lot.” 

Baekhyun looks at Sehun, gives him a tight smile. “You’re funny.” 

“Occasionally,” Sehun says. 

They sit there, watching as Yixing works, and altogether, it doesn’t take very long. Baekhyun kind of assumed there’d be more frantic work, but Yixing is calm, cool, collected as he stitches, moves. Junmyeon is closed, wheeled out of the room to where he’ll stay. The facility is large, and they’re well-equipped for emergencies. 

Still, it’s the first time Junmyeon is the one in the emergency. Just by the way Sehun tightens his hand around Baekhyun’s, he knows they feel the same way. Everything’s changed. 

Yixing is washing his hands, and they decide to harangue him. 

“I just finished saving your boyfriend,” Yixing says. “It’s three in the morning. I’m very tired.” 

“T-Tell us what’s going on,” Sehun says frantically. “Is he going to live?” 

“He’s still breathing,” Yixing says.

“Don’t be fuckin’ cute,” Baekhyun threatens. “What’s going on? What did you do?” 

“Damage control,” Yixing answers, and he looks back at the two of them. “I mean, that’s literally what it is.” He huffs. “I controlled the bleeding. I packed the oozing areas. I whip stitched the smaller holes, and I used a Vi-drape to facilitate pack removal.” 

“I don’t know what he’s saying,” Sehun says to Baekhyun. “Explain it to me.” 

“I did surgery good,” Yixing says. “He needs to rest. Once he’s normothermic and once his hemodynamics have stabilized, I can operate again.” 

“You didn’t _fix_ him?” Sehun asks. 

“I fixed him as best as I can right now,” Yixing says. “Do you want him to live?” 

“Y-Yes,” Sehun answers. 

“Then let me do what I do,” Yixing advises. “The next surgery will be bigger, more complicated. It’ll probably be a day or two. I dunno. Depends on how he responds.” 

“He’s tough,” Baekhyun says, though he can’t say for sure whether he’s reminding them or himself. 

Yixing dries his hands. Turns to them, giving them a smile. 

“He’ll be up in about an hour. Maybe a little less, considering how tough he is,” Yixing says. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go to bed.” 

Baekhyun looks at Sehun, looks back at Yixing, and the two of them pile on him, hugging him close. He sputters as he laughs, patting them both on the head. 

“Okay, okay,” Yixing laughs. “I get it.” 

They aren’t usually very good with their words, so they let actions speak louder.  
  


☠

“I’m sorry,” Sehun says suddenly.

Baekhyun looks at him, confused. They are sitting at Junmyeon’s bedside, hands wrapped around paper cups full of coffee. They wait for Junmyeon to wake, each moment strung tightly. 

“Why are you sorry?” 

“I wasn’t there,” Sehun says, and he brings the lip of the cup to his mouth, gently blowing at the steam. “I should have been there.” 

“You were on backup,” Baekhyun says. “You were exactly where you were supposed to be.” 

“I don’t like doing backup.” 

“You might have saved his life.” 

“Yixing saved his life,” Sehun says. 

“Don’t be like that,” Baekhyun says, and Sehun gives him a look. “What? Are you jealous?” 

“ _No_ ,” Sehun scoffs. 

“You wanted to be there,” Baekhyun says. 

“Yeah.” 

“You couldn’t have done anything,” Baekhyun says. 

“I know.” 

“But you still—”

“Wanted to be,” Sehun says.

Baekhyun wonders how he would feel, given the circumstances. He puts himself in Sehun’s seat, hands warmed by the coffee, and he thinks about not seeing the look in Junmyeon’s eyes as he fell, the feeling of Junmyeon’s blood wet on his hands. They don’t take great pleasure in their violence, but there is an intimacy of near-death that can’t be explained. 

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun says. “I knew it could potentially be dangerous, and I… I really should have let you come. I should have convinced him. We should have had you with us.” 

Sehun chews on his lip, and he takes a sip of his coffee. 

“Thank you,” Sehun says. “I appreciate it.” 

Baekhyun goes silent as he scoots his chair closer to Sehun’s, resting his head on Sehun’s shoulder. 

“I guess the trip is off,” Sehun mutters. 

“We’ll get there,” Baekhyun says. 

“I was really looking forward to it,” Sehun says. “Blue skies and the beach and soju-bombs.” 

“We’ll get there,” he promises. 

For another several moments, there is tense quiet. Baekhyun closes his eyes, processes the traumatic experience in the span of seconds. He won’t die. Yixing will make sure of that. After the sadness is gone, the fear too, all that’s left is anger. Fiery rage. Whoever did it will pay. 

“We’ll have to talk to Yixing,” Baekhyun whispers. 

“I asked when you were getting coffee,” Sehun whispers back. “Yixing called Jongdae. Said he could identify it in the morning.” Baekhyun huffs out a frustrated breath. “It’s not even seven yet. Bloodthirsty already?” 

“Yeah,” Baekhyun says. “That motherfucker is gonna pay.” 

“He is.” Sehun says. “We’ll make sure of that.” 

Junmyeon’s body twitches with movement on the bed, and his eyes open slowly. The monitors are beeping. Baekhyun has no idea what that beeping means, but the little smile that spreads across Junmyeon’s face—that’s fuckin’ priceless. 

“Hi,” Junmyeon says, and then immediately, “sorry.” 

They stand, coffee on the table next to Junmyeon’s bed, and they crowd him, cradle him gently. 

“I think you’re the first person in history who has apologized for getting shot,” Sehun laughs wetly, and he presses a kiss to Junmyeon’s forehead. “I’m so happy you’re okay.” 

“Honestly, I have never felt better,” Junmyeon smiles. “I think Yixing gave me good drugs.” 

Baekhyun and Sehun snort, peppering Junmyeon’s face with kisses. 

“Good,” Baekhyun says. “I told him to treat you right, or I’d shoot him in the liver too.” 

“Be nice,” Junmyeon says sleepily. “He’s a good boy.” 

“Yeah,” Sehun says, “the best boy besides you.” 

“Aw,” Junmyeon says with a little smile. “You’re so sweet.” He looks between the two of them. “I love you both so much.” 

“We wanna kiss you a lot,” Baekhyun says, “but Yixing told us not to disrupt you.” 

“Yeah, you’re supposed to be resting,” Sehun says. 

“Stabilizing,” Baekhyun says. 

“Getting your hemo-whatever levels right,” Sehun says. 

“I’ll focus on that now,” Junmyeon says. “Getting all the homo levels right.” 

“He said _hemo_ , not _homo_ ,” Baekhyun laughs. “We’ve got the homo levels correct.” 

“Better believe it,” Sehun says, and he pulls Junmyeon by the face, steals a quick kiss. “Now rest, okay?” 

“Okay,” Junmyeon says. “Did you bring me anything fun to do while I’m enjoying my R&R?” 

Baekhyun points to Junmyeon’s table. “Phone. Netflix. Hulu. Pornhub, but only for research purposes, no funny stuff. Call us with anything you might need. We can be here in a minute.” 

“A handy?” Junmyeon teases. 

“Once we get to Jeju,” Sehun promises. “All the handies you can take.” 

“Ah, fuck,” Junmyeon curses, eyes squeezed shut. “I forgot about Jeju. I’m sorry.” 

Baekhyun kisses him quickly, a little taste of the future. 

“No apologies,” Baekhyun says, and Sehun goes to the door. “Be good for the girls. We’ll hear if you’re ornery.” 

“I’ll be good, I’ll be good.” They smile at him, and his expression goes from happy to… to something else. “Don’t get in trouble.” 

“You can’t stop us,” Sehun says. “You’re stuck in bed.” 

“I’m serious,” Junmyeon says. “Don’t do anything before I’m out of here.” 

Baekhyun looks at Sehun, Sehun looking at him. They walk out without another word, hand in hand. Sehun was right. Junmyeon can’t stop them. He’s hooked up to too many machines.  
  


☠

Jongdae gets in a few hours later, sunglasses pushed up onto his head, tossing an apple up and down, up and down.

“How’s Suho?” Jongdae asks. “I brought him a fruit basket. Put it at the nurse’s desk.” 

“He’s okay,” Sehun says. “Needs rest.” 

Jongdae nods. 

“Have you guys seen the sun yet?” he asks, teeth snapping through the flesh of the apple, chewing loudly before swallowing loudly. “Vitamin D is good for you.” 

“We’ll get our Vitamin D later,” Baekhyun smiles. 

“Jeju,” Jongdae says wistfully. “If you guys weren’t going specifically for an orgy, I'd come with you.” 

“Is it an orgy if it’s three people in a committed, long-term relationship?” Sehun wonders. 

“This is neither here nor there,” Jongdae says quickly, taking another quick bite of his apple. “You got a bullet for me to look at?” 

They pull him to one of the work rooms, and the bullet is cleaned, sitting on a metal surgical tray. Jongdae sits at the stool, and Sehun and Baekhyun stand at either side as he slides on his glasses, turning the bullet over with a pair of small tongs. 

“Scratched serial number,” Jongdae says. 

“Balls,” Baekhyun says. “So there’s nothing?” 

“Did I say there was nothing?” Jongdae asks. “I don’t recall saying there was nothing.”

“Tell us, tell us,” Sehun says eagerly, and he looks at Baekhyun. “Shut up.” 

Jongdae turns it in his grasp, studying it carefully, and all Baekhyun can see is a lumpy old bullet that was previously lodged in Junmyeon’s body. 

“Got it,” Jongdae says. 

“Jesus Christ, _how_?” Sehun wonders. 

“Every gun leaves a slightly different dimple. The marks on the bullet itself from the rifling in the barrel…,” Jongdae says, before letting the bullet clink down to the tray again, looking between the two of them. “It’s weird, you said he was shot long range?” 

“Yeah,” Baekhyun says. “Couldn’t see anyone.” 

“This isn’t a sniper rifle,” Jongdae says. “This is a semi-automatic variant of that Daewoo. USAS-12. The one for civilian use, if I’m not mistaken.” 

“And you never are,” Sehun says. “Okay, let’s start scrubbing for registers.” 

“I already know who it is,” Baekhyun says. 

They walk out of the room, and Jongdae calls out after them. 

“We’re coming with you, you know,” he yells. “We’ve already talked. It’s a group effort.” 

“No way,” Sehun snorts, and he laces his hand through Baekhyun’s. “Where do you think he is?” 

“Hiding,” Baekhyun says. “In his palace.” 

“We’ll need something big,” Sehun says. “He’s got big boys up there, so I think… big firepower to match.” 

“We’ll bring it.” 

Sehun squeezes Baekhyun’s hand in his. “Good.”  
  


☠

Kim Yejun lives in Seongnam, and his mansion has been called Heaven on Earth. It is surrounded by a dozen guards, double the amount of security cameras. He is rich, he is powerful, and he is a major fuckin’ dickhead, in Baekhyun’s professional opinion.

He’s hated Junmyeon since they left, and Baekhyun guesses an enterprising, if clumsy soul took it upon themselves to deliver him Junmyeon’s death in a sealed envelope. 

“Should have gone for the head,” Sehun tuts. 

“He probably tried,” Baekhyun snorts. 

They are loading their bags, and the rest of the boys walk in. Chanyeol and Jongin have their arms folded across their chest, Jongdae and Kyungsoo have scowls on their faces, and Minseok just looks… disappointed. Moreover, all of them are dressed in battle gear. Vests. Gloves. Masks hanging around their necks. 

“Go home,” Sehun says. “We’re going alone.” 

“We’re going,” Minseok says. “Good luck trying to stop us.” 

“Yeah,” Jongdae says, and he waves around a pistol. “We’ve got _guns_.” 

It makes Chanyeol and Jongin giggle, a little crack in the facade before they remember they’re supposed to look tough, act tougher. 

“Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun beseeches. “Can’t you stay and watch over Junmyeon?” 

“He’s got a nurse,” Kyungsoo says. “Are you crazy? I’m coming. I’ve been wanting to kill this asshole since I was eighteen.” 

Baekhyun hangs his head before picking it up quickly. At the very least… 

“Well, definitely not you,” Baekhyun says, pointing to Yixing. “What happens if Junmyeon—”

“There’s someone on-call,” Yixing says. “Like it or not, we’re coming with you.” 

“Did you honestly think you were gonna get out of here without us?” Jongin asks, vaguely offended. “Like, it’s _Yejun._ We’ve all got a bone to pick.” 

“It’s not _about_ that,” Sehun says. “It’s about—” 

“Revenge,” Chanyeol says. “And we all want a piece.” 

“Yeah, so stop being stingy,” Minseok smiles. “Share the love.” 

“It’s a big job,” Baekhyun explains. “Not in and out, clean and easy. It’s gonna get messy.” 

“We’ll see about that,” Kyungsoo says, and he holds up his tablet. “I’ve already hacked into his security system.” 

“Y-You did?” 

“It’s easy,” Kyungsoo says with a smirk. “And you thought you could do it on your own.” 

“It’s Junmyeon,” Yixing says. 

“Yeah,” Chanyeol says. “He’s... special.” 

Baekhyun bites his lip, and within the hour, they move out.  
  


☠

Kyungsoo shuts down everything, and the exterior guards fall at the exact same time thanks to their synchronized shots. It shouldn’t surprise Baekhyun that, with the eight of them, things are much easier than just with two. He can feel the heat of lightning in him as they stalk forward, taking the mansion in waves. Minseok scales the fences, picks the locks, and he gets them all inside.

The mansion is east meets west, some muddied design that Baekhyun wishes he had more time to criticize. There are trees everywhere, grey stones lining the walkways as they move underneath the star-studded midnight sky. 

Some of the guards are stationed at the doors, and Sehun and Baekhyun take them together. They react much too slowly, and they are rewarded with bullets to the head, painting the white exterior scarlet. 

As they move, the rest of the boys taking care of their own business, Baekhyun hears the commotion inside the house. He hears the rage, hears the thunder. Yejun. He is lightning in a bottle. 

The glass walls that enclose the kitchen are shattered, sprayed with an Uzi. His gold Uzi. His favorite. Flashy and stupid. Sehun pulls Baekhyun into a duck as they move to the north, and Baekhyun tries to listen to Yejun’s passionate screams. 

“I knew you’d fucking come,” he says, voice raw with emotion. “His fucking _dogs_.” 

Anger boils his flesh. Purple sky. Bark peeling off the tree. 

“You could have _been_ something,” Yejun yells. “You could have _done_ something with your lives! But you followed him. You fucking followed _him_ , and now you’re dead. You’re all fucking dead, just like him.” 

They listen and move as he sprays his submachine through the walls, but once he has to change the clip, they are behind him, and Sehun hits him over the back of the head with the butt of his rifle. 

Yejun falls uselessly to the slick white floors, and from then, Baekhyun puts his foot down onto Yejun's ankle, easily snapping it. 

“F- _Fuck_ you,” Yejun snaps back, a venomous snake ready to bite. “They’re coming for you, you know. My fucking _brother_ , he’s _coming for you_.” 

“I killed your brother,” Baekhyun seethes, and each of them take a leg, dragging him off towards the bedroom. “That was our last job. And now, you’re dead too.” 

Once they’re in the bedroom, Sehun hauls him over his shoulder, throws him onto the bed like a sack of flour, and Baekhyun taps his ear. 

“We’re good,” Baekhyun says. “Come on.” 

“Copy,” Yixing says. 

“Copy.” 

“Copy.” 

They come in droves, and together, the eight of them stand over the man who tried to ruin their lives, who nearly succeeded. If it wasn’t for Junmyeon… 

“Well,” Baekhyun says, and he shoulders his rifle, lining up the scope with Yejun’s groin. “Who wants to do the honors?” 

The chorus that answers him sings, “I do.”  
  


☠

When they get back to the facility, they don’t even stop to shower. They don’t even wash the blood off their hands. They go to Junmyeon’s room, and they stand in the doorway, watching him sleep.

“We should let him rest,” Sehun breathes. 

“I’m awake,” Junmyeon says softly, and then, his eyes open. “I told you not to do anything rash.” 

“It wasn’t rash,” Baekhyun assures him. “We thought it out. We were careful.” 

Junmyeon frowns at him. 

“The rest of the boys were with us,” Sehun offers. 

“Now why would they do that?” Junmyeon groans, thumping his head back onto his pillow. 

“Because they love you?” Baekhyun says. 

Junmyeon’s face softens, and he reaches out for them. “Didn’t even think to clean up before you saw me?” 

“Couldn’t wait,” Sehun says, and he takes the seat at Junmyeon’s right, Baekhyun the one at Junmyeon’s left. “We had to see you. Tell you it was dealt with.” 

“You’re very silly boys,” Junmyeon says, but he squeezes their hands in his. “I love you.” 

“We love you,” Baekhyun says. “Now, you just have to… get better.” 

“No more worries,” Sehun promises. 

Junmyeon shuts his eyes. “Okay, then. No more worries.”  
  


☠

They get to Jeju, and they take their much-needed vacation with few complaints, only Yixing making sure that everything’s okay. Junmyeon is still supposed to be resting, needs another couple weeks to fully heal, but Baekhyun figures there’s nowhere better than the beach, the open-air spring water baths.

Junmyeon pulls his shirt off, baring his skin to the summer sky. Baekhyun lies back on his towel, enjoying the view as Sehun rubs Junmyeon with sunscreen. They haven’t had much opportunity, but… perhaps on this trip… 

It is then that Baekhyun sees something peculiar on Junmyeon’s abdomen. Junmyeon looks at him, sees him seeing the scar. 

“That motherfucker,” Baekhyun laughs. 

“It looks good, right?” Junmyeon says, brushing his fingertips against it. 

“What?” Sehun asks, and he looks over Junmyeon’s body. “Oh my _God_ , he stitched his _initials_ into you.” 

“Yeah,” Junmyeon says happily. “I thought it was kinda funny.” 

Sehun rolls his eyes, pulling him into a fervent kiss. Baekhyun pillows his head on his arm, watching them. It is not lightning that streaks through him, but something just as hot, just as electric. 

Junmyeon pulls back with red lips, and he looks in Baekhyun’s direction. “Feeling left out?” 

Baekhyun shrugs. “Just a little.” 

They join him on the blanket not a moment later, and all is well.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for all your support! 
> 
> this is short and probably a little goofy, but i dont know, i hope you enjoyed all the same!
> 
> [my twitter](https://twitter.com/okamiwind) | [my curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/okamiwind)


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